The Well-Appointed Desk

FF-planetcon

This weekend is the annual Kansas City Planet Comicon and I’m so excited (yet again). So, this week’s “Fashionable Friday” is geek-centric. Apologies to the liberties I took with the color names. But it did make me think, “Why isn’t anyone doing any geek-themed ink colors?” This is a niche that NEEDS to be filled. I want Death Star black, Dagobah green, Avengers Assemble red, Exploding Blue Box blue… c’mon inky fingers, make this happen for me!

Onward, to nerdom!

Marvel Guardians of the Galaxy Dancing Groot Bobble Head $9.99 (via ToysRUs)
Marvel Headphones $17.99 (via Think Geek)
Funko Stormtrooper Lamp $83.10 (via Amazon)
De Atramentis “Browncoats” Tobacco Ink $12.95 (via Goulet Pens)
Kaweco Student “Yellow Flash” Fountain pen 46,50 € (via Fontoplumo)
Sun-Star Pictome Paper Clip “Riddler Edition” – Pack of 8 for $4.75 (via Jet Pens)
Limited Edition Deluxe Doctor Who River Song’s TARDIS Journal ~~79.99~~ $47.99 (via Think Geekv)
Pilot MR Metropolitan Fountain Pen in “Death Star” black $15 (via Pen Chalet)
Fisher Space Pen Bullet in “Superman” Blue $23 (via Jet Pens)
Create-Your-Own Rickshaw Bags Hawkeye iPad Mini Sleeve $46.95 (other designs and configurations available) (via Marvel)
Big Damn Heroes downloadable poster FREE (via Josh Keckley)
Quo Vadis Habana in “Iron Man” Red $24 (via Goulet Pens)
Diamine Fountain Pen Asa “Cap” Blue Ink in 30ml mini bottle $7 (via Jet Pens)
Pentel Sliccies 3-Color Multi-Pen Body in “Nightwing” Blue $3.30 (via Jet Pens)
Batman Skills Mug $15 (via Society 6)

In news

RELEASED: Two Rivers Field Notes COLORS Edition

AnaMarch 12, 20152 Comments

Field Notes – ‘Two Rivers’ Edition – COLORS Spring 2015 from Coudal Partners on Vimeo.

Its been over 24 hours since Field Notes unveiled the video and order page for the “Two Rivers” Spring 2015 COLORS edition so you’ve probably already watched all the videos and placed your order. But if not, I thought I’d bring it to your attention.

In Ink Review

Ink Review: Diamine 150 Years 1864 Blue Black

AnaMarch 12, 2015March 1, 20154 Comments

daimine 1864 blue-black ink

The Diamine 150 years inks were on my inky radar as soon as I heard about them. Rare, historical or limited edition inks always set my fingers alight on the keyboard over the “buy it now” button.

There are eight colors in this collection, each bottle is a pie-shaped wedge that holds 40ml of ink and sells for $17.50 per bottle. I find the pie shaped wedge bottle a little odd and they have to be packed into the square boxes with padding so the bottles don’t shift around. When one or more bottles are put next to each other, they fit together. If all eight bottles are together, they form a full circle.

daimine 1864 blue-black ink

I knew immediately that I would want to try the 1864 Blue Black since I love blue black inks.Its a deep, dark blue-black so it doesn’t show a lot of shading even with my Lamy Studio with its 1.1mm stub nib.

Like most Diamine inks,the 1864 Blue Black is well-behaved and pretty quick-drying.

daimine 1864 blue-black ink

In the swab, I notice a bit of a reddish halo in the 1864 Blue Black that reminds me a bit of the Pilot IroshizukuTsuki-Yo though Tsuki-Yo is a bit more teal and the halo is a bit more reddish-purple. But the 1864 Blue Black is almost have the price of a bottle of Pilot Iroshizuku which is a consideration. Compared tot he Kaweco Midnight Blue, the Diamine 1864 Blue Black is a little more indigo, ever-so-slightly to violet. Isn’t it amazing the little differences between ink shades? I love that there are little variations in ink colors.

I’m glad to add this color to my library.

DISCLAIMER: This item was sent to me free of charge by Jet Pens for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.

In Link Love

Link Love: Molly Ringwald Writes Letters

AnaMarch 11, 2015March 11, 20151 Comment

Post of the Week:

Molly Ringwald and Stoya Bring Back the Lost Art of Letter Writing (via Elle)

Pens:

Pilot Custom Heritage 912 with Music Nib (via Gourmet Pens)
Pilot Coleto (via The Finer Point)
Video: OMAS Ogiva Celluloide (via Pen Habit)
Pocket Pen Countdown – Top 5 (via Pen Pursuit)
Retro 51 Hex-o-Matic Ballpoint (via Inkdependence)
*D* Rocket Titanium Oval Bolt Pen Prototype (via Pen Addict)
Diplomat Excellence A Plus ballpoint pen (via The Pencil Case Blog)
Friday Follow-Up: Taste The Rainbow (via Johnny Any Pen)
Vintage Pen Primer, Part II: The Parker 51 (via Gentleman Stationer)

Ink:

Rohrer & Klingner Verdigris (via Pen Addict)
Diamine Matador (via Reverenced Writing)
J. Herbin Eclat de Saphir (via Fountain Pen Physicist)
Sailor Jentle Chu Shu (via Alt. Haven)
Diamine Mediterranean Blue (via Write To Me Often)
Pilot Iroshizuku Momiji – Autumn Leaves (via Office Supply Geek)

Pencils:

Faber-Castell Grip Sparkle Pencil Review (via Pens! Paper! Pencils!)
The Write Notepads & Co. Jumbo Pencils and the Classroom Friendly Large-Hole Sharpener (via From The Pen Cup)
An Interview With Johnny Gamber: The Original Pencil Blogger (via Write Analog)
My Colorless Lent (via Reverenced Writing)
Mitsu-bishi Hi-Uni HB Pencil (via The Finer Point)

Planning & Organizers:

My Planner Progress (via Planner Bug)
Perks of an Orgainized Planner (via Planner Fun)
How have I ended up using four things for planning?? (via Paper Pens Ink)
One Glance Daily Planning: How to Combine Monthly, Weekly, and Daily Plans in a Single Spread (via Giftie Etcetera)

Other Interesting Things:

Geometric Pastel Stationery by Galison (via All Things Stationery)
The Ultimate Modern Calligraphy Starter Kit (via The Postman’s Knock)

News & Reminders:

NockCo is discontinuing the Mango/Mandarin “colorway” (via Inkdependence)
The Letter Writers Alliance is hosting their first L.W.A. Book Club event on April 12 at 3PM CST as a live video discussion and I will be the guest! The inaugural book is 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff. You have time to read it before the event and join in in the discussion. We’d love to hear from you! (via Letter Writers Alliance)

In Ink Review

Ink Review: Kaweco Royal Blue

AnaMarch 10, 2015May 26, 20204 Comments

Kaweco Royal Blue ink

When you live in Kansas City, Royal Blue has a very distinct connotation. Very baseball. But lucky for Kaweco, their Royal Blue ink is really spot-on for the local interpretation for the color. Kaweco Royal Blue, in writing, reminds me of a lot of those vintage “washable blue” inks like the old Sheaffer Skrip ink. If you like blue inks or something that looks like your grandfather might have penned letters to your grandma while stationed overseas, this is a good candidate.

Kaweco Royal Blue ink

There’s some shading and its overall a well-behaved ink. Kaweco Royal Blue is everything you’d want or expect from a classic “true blue” ink. I’m not always inclined to gravitate towards blue-blue inks, this one is not a bad option. Its classic, old-world blue.

Kaweco Royal Blue ink

When compared to a few other true blues, its easy to see the violet undertones in the Kaweco Royal Blue ($17.50) — giving it the “royal treatment”, so to speak. Its brighter than the Parker Quink Blue Black ($8.75) I have and darker than the Pilot Iroshizuku Tsuyu-Kusa ($28). Price wise, Kaweco Royal Blue falls between these two inks as well — not a budget ink but not premium-priced either.

DISCLAIMER: This item was sent to me free of charge by Kaweco for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.

In feature

Dux Varibel Brass Sharpener with Leather Case

AnaMarch 9, 2015July 6, 20181 Comment

dux-variabel-1

I was very excited to find CW Pencil Enterprises and to see that they stocked the Dux Varibel brass sharpener in the leather case ($22). It can be dialed in to three different sharpnesses depending on the type of lead. The #1 position is for soft pencils and colored pencils, #2 is used for standard graphite pencils (“#2 for #2 pencils!”) and #3 for the sharpest point for harder leads or pencil weaponry.

(Pictured above is Mirado Black Warrior pencils sharpened with #3, #2 and #1 settings from top to bottom)

dux-variabel-3

The sharpener blade is sharp and fits standard round, hex and triangular pencils. The leather carrying sleeve just makes it awesome.

dux-variabel-2

The point is still not as sharp as a Classroom Friendly sharpener or my old Boston hand crank sharpener but for a portable pocket sharpener, the quality of the points is good and I didn’t have any breaking issues while sharpening.

If you are a pencil enthusiast or know someone who likes a fine tool, you might want to pick one of these up.

In news

Shop Update: Restocks!

AnaMarch 8, 2015Leave a comment

Just wanted to let everyone know that stamps have been restocked in the shop. I’ve had a lot of requests to restock stamps so here they are!

Reminder that if you’re in the Kansas City area and want to avoid shipping charges, you can use the code “KCLOCALPICKUP” (and use the “Ask The Desk” link above or include a note with your order) to arrange for pick-up. I work near Union Station downtown and can easily meet you for a pick-up.